Passenger-side airbag modules are customarily installed behind the instrument panels of motor vehicles. A typical installation includes a reaction canister in the form of an open trough within which is stored the folded airbag. The mouth of the trough is closed by a plastic cover which forms a portion of the instrument panel. The passenger-side module includes an inflator which carries a gas generant. In response to a crash sensor, an electrical signal activates the generant to produce gas which rapidly inflates the airbag. The plastic cover bursts or is otherwise opened to release the airbag into the passenger compartment.
One problem with installations of this type arises from the fact that the open mouth of the airbag reaction canister is in close proximity to the relatively soft cover. As a result, upon the occurrence of a relatively mild accident of a severity lower than that required to activate the airbag, a potential hazard is presented. A passenger's head, for example, may be injured upon striking the relatively soft plastic cover overlying the rigid edges of the reaction canister. As a result, there are federal safety standards which must be met to avoid this problem. Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a passenger-side airbag module wherein the reaction canister may be firmly mounted to the structure of the vehicle while presenting a collapsible, and "soft", sidewall in the event of impact through the instrument panel or cover. Other objects, features and advantages will become apparent from the following description and appended claims.